Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Amor de Cosmos wrote: But I don't buy this. If you're going to go non-linear, you still have to answer the key questions and show how they relate to the structure. I don't this this book achieves that. I still think the non-linear is a dodge, and that if he had to put all the facts in chronological order, some pork pies would emerge.

See I don't get this at all. How does one form of biographical structure conceal EC's lies, and another reveal them?

If deception was the conscious intention on his part then it clearly hasn't worked as you've seen through it, and other reviewers still have unanswered questions.

Because he's concealing the timelines. If a key event happened in 1981 and he skips it, you can see that in a structure where 1981 is clearly demarcated.

By writing in fragments, he can claim that he excluded Cait from a certain chapter because she did not play a big role in that episode, but if he has a chapter on the period when they met and she's absent from that, the omission is clearer.

Moreover, as both my and the other review state, when Costello has to confront an issue (Ray Charles) he still does not fully open up or even admit to the full offence.

He even says he has no recollection of using the words that caused offence, and has to rely on what people tell him he said. Yet he remembers several other drunken episodes as clear as a bell.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Because he's concealing the timelines. If a key event happened in 1981 and he skips it, you can see that in a structure where 1981 is clearly demarcated.

He could still omit it. If you knew about the event in advance, you'd know it whatever structure he employed. If you didn't you're not going to be any the wiser anyway.

Biography is always going to be selective, and — yes — it's valid to criticise what's been skirted or unaddressed but that really has nothing to do with the form the writing takes.

[imp]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Great discussion here on truth in autobiography. I came across this a lot while writing Rock n Roll Soccer, and for the very tiny minority among you who have yet to buy it, here's an exclusive extract from Chapter 9, talking about the time Rick Wakeman invested cash in a team called the Philadelphia Fury in the late 70s:

"Wakeman, who had always been a huge soccer fan, tells the story of the Fury’s inaugural game in April 1978 against the Washington Diplomats in one of his three autobiographies, Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rock Star.
Here’s the short version: on the Saturday night before the game the whole team - apart from Alan Ball who wasn’t arriving until the following day - got steaming drunk when the mayor of Philadelphia threw a party for them. The next day, just before kick-off, Wakeman talked to Jimmy Hill, the owner of the [Washington] Diplomats, who told him that his team was in the same position – the mayor of Washington had apparently also thrown a team party and got all his players wrecked too. The result was a terrible 0-0 draw because all the players were too hung over to try. Great story, except that it can not possibly be true. In 1978, Jimmy Hill was still three years away from owning the Diplomats. By the time Hill took over the Diplomats, in fact, the Fury was already defunct. And the game was no 0-0 draw – it ended in a 3-0 win for Washington on goals from Ray Graydon and a Paul Cannell brace. And it took place on a Saturday.
One of the challenges in writing a book about a League that ceased to exist more than three decades ago – or indeed any book that involves narratives from the past - is to distinguish what parts of the beautifully told verbal anecdote differ from the truth. One former player related a neat story about the time his side played against the Cosmos, and he was ordered by his coach to man-mark Pelé. Unfortunately, he wasn’t up to the job and Pelé scored on a header directly from a corner kick. At half-time, the player was chewed out by the coach who then told him he would not be marking Pelé in the second half. (Pause for effect). Instead, he would now be marking Franz Beckenbauer. Another good yarn, sadly not backed by the stats. The only time this particular player could have played against the Cosmos, Pelé was out injured, and Beckenbauer left the game at half-time.
Does it matter? Surely the two stories reflect the spirit of the NASL, even if time and a murky memory may have distorted their content, which now fortuitously might help to sell a book or entertain an after-dinner crowd. The NASL was, after all, seen as being about players coming to the US for the party and getting boozed up (Wakeman), or having their moment in the sun against the world stars (our anonymous phantom marker of Pelé). Yet it’s remarkable that for every player who tells you there was a whole lot of drinking and carousing in the NASL, there are four or five more who claim that if this was really the case, then they missed out completely."

[ad hoc]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Elvis Costello: ‘The only reason to write about showbusiness is to point out the absurdity of it all’

http://gu.com/p/4dbk8?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard

[MsD]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Again, very interesting.

[MsD]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Amor de Cosmos wrote: For truly excellent personal writing, Patti Smith takes some beating. Her new book concludes on a flight to Japan:

I finally chose a few books by Dazai and Akutagawa. Both had inspired me to write and would serve as meaningful companionship for a fourteen-hour flight. But as it turned out I barely read on the plane. Instead, I watched the movie 'Master and Commander.' Captain Jack Aubrey reminded me so much of Fred that I watched it twice. Midflight I began to weep. Just come back, I was thinking. You’ve been gone long enough. Just come back. I will stop traveling; I will wash your clothes. Mercifully, I fell asleep, and when I awoke snow was falling over Tokyo.

Do you actually think that's good, or are you joking?

My friend and I both find it funny, and she immediately went into a "why, when I read Proust, am I reminded of how bad your socks smelt, and how life is but a transient shadow on the face of time ... ", as we have a running joke about Patti Smith's earlier book (Just Kids?). And she liked Patti's work before that.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Yes. I love it.

I'm an unapologetic romantic. And so, I think, is Patti Smith. Though, I agree, a bit of an unexpected one. I loved Just Kids to bits, and also her memories (both oral and literary) of Allen Ginsberg. I admire her honesty, idiosyncrasy, sensuality and, most of all, her fearlessness. All of which I interpret — rightly or wrongly — as genuine.

Incidentally I've seen the quote reproduced in two reviews in the past week, which suggests that — for whatever reason — it resonates strongly with certain people.

[MsD]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Oh.

Each to their own. :-)

I do think she's genuine and a talented artist, I just don't like her writing.

[ale]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

MsD wrote: Oh, that looks interesting. He is a great talent, of course, and KoA is one of my favourite albums, but (and?) he's a prickly sort. Then again, so are many.

I'd be interested to see how much he acknowledges his time spent in Hounslow - he likes to give the impression that he grew up in Liverpool, and affected an accent (as his first wife would affirm), but he was in my brother's class all the way through secondary school. Not a biggie, except that he makes me look like a liar when I say he lived in Hounslow. Yeh, but you did, mate.

I'd also be interested to see what he says about the Pogues. In fact, I'm interested in it all.

A certain musician friend of mine is always being asked why he hasn't written an autobiography, and I know the answer: he's told so many fibs over the years, about women he's bedded and people he's met, if he wrote a book people would call him on it. Otherwise, he'd have to confess to the boring truth, that he spent most of his time playing his instrument or watching telly, with a few memorable highlights. He asked me to co-write a sort of oblique memoir with him, which fell apart after our first meeting.

It's hard to write a straight autobiography, it's exposing your inner self, either in the things you share, or the things you leave out, or the lies that you tell.

So I can understand why Mr C has chosen to be a bit non-linear, even if it makes for a frustrating read.

MsD..just to pick up on the last couple of paragraphs...if you are unable to write a straight biography because of such obstacles then why bother with the charade?...your musician friend is being more honest than Costello by not doing his memoirs...

[MsD]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Maybe because he has some things that people might find interesting? Or entertaining? The snippets ad hoc have posted make me want to read more, and I'd rather he left things out, than made stuff up.

People who have taken an interest in his life know that he was with Cait for 18 years and can draw their own conclusions from his downplaying of her role. Others might not care.

I've got four Bowie books, have read others and loads of interviews, have talked to people close to him, I still don't know everything. It's not my business to know everything. I have a kind of overview of his life, his work and the things that shaped his art, and a few funny stories. That's enough.

[imp]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Must admit that Patti Smith extract quoted by AdeC had me thinking of a moody 15-year-old's secret diary. I've never seen the attraction of her music, either - I've tried and tried with Horses, but can't for the life of me hear anything at all in there that would make me want to play it again, other than me thinking that I've somehow missed its apparently numerous virtues and so should give it another chance.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

imp wrote: Must admit that Patti Smith extract quoted by AdeC had me thinking of a moody 15-year-old's secret diary.

I can understand stand that. Perhaps part of its appeal, for me and others, is that it does sound like that. We're constantly aware though that it's written by a sixty-nine-year-old woman who's lived a full and fascinating life, and continues to do so. Her experiences are not those of someone at fifteen, that her voice when she discusses them might be is unusual, therefore interesting.

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Another review concurs with mine:

http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6730919/elvis-costello-unfaithful-music-and-disappearing-ink-book-review

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Costello's current speaking voice seems to have dropped all any fake working-class or northern elements. It seems quite classless and region-less, but definitely not northern:

http://wordpodcast.co.uk/

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Just read Bruce Thomas's book. Thomas is a very unpleasant man based on this reading: graceless, arrogant, nasty, disloyal. Not that Elvis is an angel but Thomas makes Elvis look the good guy by comparison.

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

A review by his best biographer:

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/London_Daily_Mail,_November_1,_2015

[MsD]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Oh, that's lovely. I must read it at some point.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

I'm about one-quarter through the audiobook (read by the man himself) and I'm really enjoying it.

I'm glad he isn't following the dull linear chronology that afflicts many biographies. And I haven't heard any kind of class pretence--the narrative flicks between west London and Merseyside at will.

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

It's an enjoyable book for what it is, provided the reader isn't looking for searing honesty, full disclosure and modesty.

[henk387]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

yeah, it is great!!

[Sundeporino]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

EC has played a blinder here. Hes been paid for a mixture of anecdotes, family history and attempts at short story writing.
Later on down the line he can write/flog both a real auto-biography and a "Revolution In The Head" style song guide without going over much old ground.
Hes scowling all the way to the bank.

I didnt get the point of the short stories. Is he hoping that some editor gets in touch and offers him a deal?

The most telling part of the whole thing for me was his admission of Burt Bacharachs refusal to alter music/melodies etc to accomodate a few extra syllables in the lyrics. Whereas EC admits he just stretches his music out to fit his lyrics. THATS what is stopping him becoming the sort of songwriter he so obviously admires.

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello - Unfaithful Music & Disappearing I

Great point. I think he's trapped in his pub rock/Gram Parsons/New Wave roots to an extent because he still writes to one of those rhythms.

The same thing happened with Costello-McCartney, who supplied some nice melodies which EC then subjected to much verbiage.